Children's Foundation names banking veteran as new CFO

He was president of the eastern Michigan region of Huntington National Bank

Nonprofit adopted new name to signal broader support for children's health beyond DMC

David Lochner

The Children's Foundation, which formerly operated as Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation, has hired a chief financial officer — a newly created position.

David Lochner, 62, who has more than three decades worth of banking experience, was president of the eastern Michigan region of Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington National Bank before stepping down last year. Before that, he was president of the Michigan region for Akron, Ohio-based FirstMerit Bank, which merged into Huntington in 2016.

His first day was June 1.

"With the Foundation's expansion across the state it was key to create a new Chief Financial Officer position and bring on an experienced professional who is well versed in providing the financial support need for partnerships and will ensure the utmost financial stewardship," the organization said in an emailed statement.

At the Children's Foundation, Lochner will work with executive leadership to develop and execute strategic partnerships, the nonprofit said in a Wednesday news release.

"David's proven expertise in developing partnerships with key community organizations will be an asset to our statewide expansion," Lawrence Burns, president and CEO of The Children's Foundation, said in the release. "His leadership will bring great value as we continue our work as a community foundation for children. I look forward to the Foundation benefiting from his knowledge and energy."

He is a member of advisory boards for Huntington National Bank in the Great Lakes Bay and Flint regions, and serves on the executive committee of board of directors for Detroit-based human services agency Samaritas, the release said. Lochner is also president and CEO of consulting firm True Ventures LLC since January 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He earned a bachelor's degree in instrumental music education from Eastern Michigan University and a master's degree in business administration in finance from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

The nonprofit, which started as the fundraising unit of DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan, adopted the new umbrella name to signal its broader support for children's health beyond the hospital, Crain's reported earlier this month. The Detroit Medical Center converted to a for-profit in late 2010, and the nonprofit received the bulk of the charitable assets.

The nonprofit has distributed more than $52 million in grants to more than 60 partners throughout the region since 2011, the release said.